Some of us don’t like to admit it, but we all have an interest in fashion. Each day, fashion imagery is being fed to newspapers, magazines, adverts, social media and other parts of the internet for all of us to see. Fashion runways and events, both big and small, are hosted all over the world, all year round. If fashion is something that you are really interested in, whether you like to admire it or you like to design your own clothing items, you should invest some time and learn how to refine your fashion photography skills.
To be a successful fashion photographer, you should make sure you are familiar with the things you can do to make your photographs stand out as much as possible. Choosing your equipment wisely is a start. To help you on your way, we have distinguished five fashion photography tips for beginners.
Get Your Equipment
Selecting what equipment to buy requires plenty of time, research and planning. You will need everything from a professional, high-quality camera, to lighting, backgrounds and mannequins/models. It is better to use a ghost mannequin for photography to show off your fashion items as a beginner because they are easy to work with, aren’t distracting, and will allow you to capture your clothing photography in the best way. They also allow you to remove pieces that you don’t want to see.
Be Prepared
You can never be too prepared as a fashion photographer. Before you begin shooting, you should have a concrete idea of what you want to achieve from it. To do so, you should do your research into every aspect of the shoot. This includes the lighting, editing, and the outfit (of course). If you are using a live model, then you should look into the perfect hair, makeup, posing and styling. Doing your research will help you to remain inspired and develop your techniques as a fashion photographer.
A Personal Touch
When you work your way up in fashion, you will end up working with many people who will cover most aspects of the fashion shoot. However, before you get to that level, you will have to cover all of this yourself, so make sure you are familiar with it all. When you do start to work with others, you should listen to what they have to say and give them your own opinion to ensure you add a personal touch to each fashion shoot. You should never let anyone take over your vision and goals.
Try Experimenting
As mentioned previously, being well prepared for each fashion shoot is essential, but you should also consider experimenting at times. As a beginner, you will have plenty of time for trial and error, which may help you improve your skills and find something that works really well for your designs. You won’t have time to do this once you get into the industry, so make the most of the freedom while you can. Experimenting with angles, fashion designs and lighting should be embraced.
Build a Portfolio
Improving your photography skills is endless, but there is no point in doing all without evidence and explanations to show others and to look back on yourself. This is why you should build a portfolio to show off your best work and to help you become better. Maintaining a good portfolio will allow you to develop and improve your photography and get into networking. This is essential if you want to join and work your way up the fashion industry.
The fashion industry is highly competitive, and many of the people involved have a certain image and ways they want things to be. When starting off as a beginner, you will be able to truly explore all the techniques out there and refine your skills to make you as unique as possible, which is vital for success.
